The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has knocked Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan for crowning Yoruba Obas in the diaspora.

Aare Gani Adams also questioned the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom’s audacity in declaring himself as the highest and the most special oba of Yoruba Land.

This is coming after Akinruntan installed Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora and declared that “I am ready to crown more kings from the Diaspora as long as I remain the number one king in Yorubaland. I am the custodian of the Yoruba culture”.

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But in a strong-worded statement, Gani Adams questioned Akinruntan’s effrontery, asking which Yoruba history is backing his arrogance?

“What arrogance! What impudence! What uncultured remark! On what authority is he crowning Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora? Who told him that nobody can query him?

“He said he remained the number one king in Yorubaland. Which Yoruba history is backing this arrogance?

“What is Akinruntan’s position in Yoruba history? Does he think by parading himself as a rich man, Yoruba will respect him for trying to desecrate the land? Who does he think he is, embarrassing the Yoruba nation at every opportunity?

“Which Northern Emir abuses the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Kano, Shehu of Borno or Emir of Zazzau? Which Northern Emir distorts the history of the Emirate the way Akinruntan is trying to distort Yoruba history? What exactly is the matter with this featherweight who classifies himself as the best thing to have happened to Yorubaland?

“Does he learn from history at all? What exactly is responsible for this arrogance coming from an Oba who is, traditionally, constitutionally and spiritually, mandated to protect Yorubaland? Does he think this arrogance will take him anywhere? the statement reads in part.

The Aare further said that the Olugbo was a danger that can destroy the Yoruba tradition if something is not done urgently.

“Oba Akinruntan, installed some characters as Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora in his palace in Ugboland. Such desecration of Yoruba culture and tradition was brought to my attention by one of the persons who called me, who likened the conduct of this monarch to ‘Sigidi’ in Yoruba culture, who, out of nothing to do or sheer pride, said it should be taken to the stream or river.

“Millions of Yoruba were shocked when they heard that Akinruntan, installed so-called Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora in his palace in Ugboland.

“As the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, I swore, during my installation in January 2018, to always protect the name and project the image of Yorubaland.

“That is exactly the purpose of my intervention at this moment.

“This impudence is fraudulent; a clear and present danger that can destroy our tradition if something urgent is not done immediately.

“What the Olugbo did, he did it single-handedly, against the wishes of all the Yoruba Obas in Nigeria as a whole.

“If Akinruntan is a student of history, he will know that those who tried to betray the Yoruba race never ended well.

“Against all known laws and customs of our land, Akinruntan ‘crowned’ three characters living abroad who are not even known by Yoruba living at home and abroad, as traditional rulers. The three ‘chiefs’ have no royalty in their blood.

“As the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, I want to tell Akinruntan that he only crowned these characters as chiefs in his domain, not as Yoruba Obas in the Diaspora, because he doesn’t have the power.

“It is fraudulent, it is an affront on our history and we will not allow anybody to distort our history.

“In the same vein, I think all the socio-cultural groups in Yorubaland, including Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, Yoruba Unity Forum and other notable groups in the South-West should raise their voices against such fraud. It is our responsibilities to protect our history, and put our records straight.

“He refers to himself as Chairman, Yoruba Obas Conflict Resolution Committee. Is it not funny that he is the one creating tension in the land with his attention-grabbing publicity stunt?

“I want to tell Akinruntan that nobody can buy the Yoruba, at home and abroad. You cannot gain respect by attacking other Obas, especially those senior to you.

“One of those characters he ‘installed’ as Yoruba Oba in Diaspora, Saheed, hails from Ila-Orangun.

“More importantly, I will like to tell some of the professors Olugbo is using to desecrate the traditional institutions to desist from such acts as that can later haunt them in the future.

“Akinruntan, you are climbing the tree higher than the leaves.”